A Disability Doesn't Make You Weak
by Broified
Summary: John Egbert flew through year 11 of high school partying with people he barely knew and his friends. Now, his dad had found out and decided send him to a juvenile detention centre to do community service as a punishment. He volunteers for a local highschool for the physically disabled with Rose Lalonde by his side. He's not so much aware for what he's jumping into. John/Mute!Dave
1. Community Service

Your name is John Egbert. It just so happens that today, the first of July, is Canada day. You're actually American so let's move on.

You've been forced to do community service in place of a local juvenile detention centre because for the entire first year of grade 11, you slacked right the fuck off. You weren't actually much of a party guy, and you really aren't now but you guess you just ended up here and there. You skipped alot and hung out with the wrong kinds of people and some of them tried so hard to persuade you into hitting a blunt. Luckily, you have self-control and like your dad always said, "Son, stay away from that crowd." You successfully managed to do so anyways but you did get into alcohol and liquor which distracted you from actually studying for finals at the end of the year. You weren't turning into some alcoholic, you just liked to have a sip every weekend and then it turned out to be weekdays. So, now you're here all on the cause of your dad being over protective.

For the third time in half an hour, you pull your phone out of your pocket and check the time but come across a number of unopened text messages that you really don't want to look at right now. Most of them would be invites to parties at this person and that person's house and the fact that it's summer and you're stuck doing community service is what makes you dread even thinking about partying. Even though, you'd much rather go to one than be doing this.

You're on the front porch of your house, trying to patiently wait for your dad so that he could drive you to the detention centre. But it seems like he's going through a tie crisis right now so you give in and take out your phone from your pocket again, scrolling through names and names of people you honestly don't really know. Mike, no, Jacob, no, Amanda, no, Rose, no... wait, yes.

Once you get a glimpse of Rose's handle and name on the screen you immediately open the text.

TT: John.

TT: I heard you're off to a detention centre because of your wild behaviour.

TT: I'll be painfully honest with you right now and say that I didn't expect this to happen.

EB: hey rose!

EB: oh man, who told you?! :(

TT: Nobody did, I was teasing and I have my own ways of finding out.

TT: Don't worry I wasn't invading any of your personal information.

EB: okay i trust you... but, it was my dad who got me into doing this.

EB: he said i was getting out of hand and he was almost convinced i was doing drugs!

TT: I hope you're not.

EB: rose no, i'm not.

EB: don't act like you have NEVER been asked to try weed!

TT: I've tried it once.

TT: That's why my mother is forcing me to the same centre.

EB: wait really?

TT: Yes. She wasn't worried about my ingesting alcohol but when it came to drugs, she imploded and we discussed about it.

TT: She said it was best if I do this and I didn't have anything to use against her to prevent me from coming.

TT: I also think she was going behind our backs and speaking to your dad.

EB: oh man, that sounds reeeally rough.

EB: so does this mean i'll be seeing you there?

TT: Yes. You can count on that.

EB: okay, my dad's ready so i'm going to go now.

EB: bye rose!

TT: See you.

- ectoBiologist [EB] ceased pestering tentacleTherapist [TT] -

You exhale through your mouth happily as you tuck your phone back into your pocket. You loved talking to Rose, she was a calming person but also a silly one too. She had platinum blonde hair that sat on her head in a cute bob that shaped her round jawline and made her vibrant lilac grey eyes bloom. You and her go way back to kindergarten and since then, you've both been joined at the hip. You could also admit that you felt a little different towards her but she confessed to being lesbian to you so, your hopes of her being your future wife flew down the drain. Nonetheless, you both stayed insanely great friends to this day and you feel better knowing that she was going to be there.

Your dad walks out of the house and hushes you out to the car and you're off to the centre. You are really regretting this now.

You successfully arrive to the detention centre and you find Rose waiting by the door of the building and it's like your entire face lights up because that means you don't have to waltz in alone. She gives you one of her legendary comforting light smiles and you nearly jump out the car window, waving good bye to your dad and he's on about rules and how this is for the better but it's falling on your deaf ears.

"Hey Rose!" You call out to her, waving your hand and jogging over. She nods her head in response and you open the door for her, "M'lady."

"Oh, why thank you Sir John." Rose jokes as she pretends to curtsy and she walks in before you.

You both walk into the front desk and it seems like the secretary knows the two of your names already because she's gesturing down the hallway to the right of you two before you could even say anything, Rose glances at you momentarily and shrugs before walking down and you quickly follow after her. The hallway is a little long to be a hallway but at the end there's a door and again, you open it for her. The room you two enter is bland, cheap ashy beige paint already peeling off the walls and empty bookcases rolled into the corners swell as broken desks. The windows look yellow washed out and the place is a little dusty as it seemed like nobody bothered to fucking sweep. A couple of rows of chairs are in the empty space to the left of you, an instructor gesturing you and Rose to sit down. There's not really much people here but enough to at least fill one row. Once you two are seated together, the instructor takes names and hands out papers with addresses of buildings that you can pick from to do community service. Even though you desperately do not want to be here, you find that volunteering at a local high school for the physically disabled doesn't seem half bad and Rose agrees on this with you. You and Rose end up both volunteering for the local school and the instructor gives you both specific times as well as an address to be at.

Now that you think about it, what school is not out for the summer yet? Seems to be that it's this one.

The instructor heaves a sigh and dismisses you all and half of the people here are already up, cramping through the door and out the hallway. Teenagers today are fucking animals. You tuck the folded paper that carried the address and time into your pocket with your phone, raking a hand through your messy hair and exhaling.

"How do you feel about this?" Rose speaks up while you both are down the hallway and she lifts a smile to her soft porcelain face.

"Pretty bummed." You sigh again for emphasis. "I really don't want to be doing this for the summer..."

"I know how you feel John." Rose nods and gives an apologetic squeeze around your side that's almost a hug as she walks out the door and into the car her mother was waiting in.

You truly are dreading this and you do not know how many times you're going to complain to your dad.


	2. Mute

so uh, i'm not even sure if people are reading this because i do not know how to work this site. but i'll probably keep publishing more chapters.

The first thing you do once you open your eyes is groan. The groan erupts from your chest and you slap your hands over your eyes as somewhat of an attempt to fully wake yourself up. You turn your set alarm off on your phone, unlocking it and finding a message from Jade, your cousin. You rub your gummy eyes with the back of your hand and open the text.

**GG:** hey john! :D

**GG:** so um rose told me what you both are doing...

**GG:** hmmm looks like youre still sleeping :/

**EB:** i'm up!

**GG:** oh hi john!

**GG:** i mean good morning hehe

**EB:** good morning jade.

**EB:** did she?

**EB:** well, it's true. dad found out that i was partying and my grads were going shit.

**GG:** wow john, you really need to step up :/

**EB:** i know okay!

**EB:** but me and rose decided to go to a school for the physically disabled.

**GG:** you guys are disabled?

**EB:** oh my god, jade no.

**EB:** we're volunteering!

**GG:** ohhhhh sorry

**EB:** haha, no problem.

**EB:** but i gotta get up and go. rose is coming to pick me up in half an hour.

**GG:** oh okay well i mean ill talk to you later?!

**EB:** you will!

**GG:** bye john have fun! :D

- **gardenGnostic** [**GG**] ceased pestering **ectoBiologist** [**EB**] -

You sigh and flop onto your back, rubbing your eyes again before finally pulling yourself up from your bed. You push your square glasses onto the bridge of your nose and yawn while tossing your phone onto your bed of messy sheets and pillows. Jade was a good kid, barely got into trouble but liked to have fun responsibly and totally dismissed you when you insisted that running from cops was hilarious and fun. She claimed that you must have still been intoxicated while talking to her.

You dig through your dresser drawers full of clothes to pick out a mellow blue short sleeve button up with white threaded seams and a pair of khaki pants. You lazily step into your pants and do up the belt as well as buttoning all of the buttons as you head to the bathroom where you attempt to fix your hair, spraying water in it and brushing it out but it always seems to do it's own thing by flipping weird ways and your hair is a mystery waiting to be solved by the highest skilled scientists. The only thing you manage to make for breakfast without being conquered by laziness is toast with butter and strawberry jam and goddamn is it ever good. Rose is already honking outside your house before you can even enjoy the second slice.

You book out the door, yelling at your dad that you're leaving and again, his words fall on your deaf fucking ears.

Rose greets you but it's too late to respond because you're already stuffing your mouth with the piece of toast you wanted so desperately to enjoy. She just rolls her eyes at you with a scoff and smile, starting her vehicle up and heading to the school. Once you both get into the building, it's clean for a high school and that somewhat surprises you even though it really shouldn't. Rose finds her way to the front office and you follow right after her like a lost puppy. She always seemed to know what she was doing and you constantly found yourself re-tracing her steps regardless. Rose talks to the secretary while you take a good clean look around the school but she's off again and you're following, again.

"They've picked students for us to work with. It's the same exact work we do in our grade, so, don't freight John." Rose nods at you and smiles, her black lipstick and lip gloss shining. This time she opens the door for you and you shrug, she's no doubt a gentleman too as well as a lady. One thing you notice once you step into the empty and free classroom is that Rose isn't with you, she's went somewhere else and you assume that's because you both get a free room all to yourselves with an extra student. The second thing you notice in the room is a boy. This said boy has platinum blonde looking hair almost identical to Rose's, he's also sporting a plain white t-shirt with the sleeve cuffs lined in red and the collar as well. He also appears to be wearing a pair of skinny jeans and regular sneakers. You take into account that people don't usually wear sunglasses in doors but it seems like this dude does. You hesitate to take a seat across from him and he watches you with a blank stare and his arms are crossed neatly against his chest and he's somewhat sliding down the chair he's sitting in. A moment of silence travels between the two of you before you dare to speak up.

"I'm John Egbert. I was forced to volunteer here for community service." You try to sound as simple as you can, holding your kind of clammy hand out to the other and once he shakes your hand in return, you notice the contrast of your skin against his. His skin's pale and pasty whereas you happen to be tan. What really makes you dumbfounded is when he starts moving his fingers and hands in a weird formation and you gape at him slightly in confusion. He sighs and brings out his phone, tapping against the screen and then turning the device towards you.

**TG**: nobody told you i cant speak huh

That hits you like a brick. Your eyes widen and you wave your hands in front of you in defence, "Oh shit, fuck, I'm sorry, I didn't even have a clue!" He turns the screen again and types.

**TG:** its cool

**TG:** not alot of people would assume

**TG:** but im mute so theres that

**TG:** im also the one called dave strider by the way

"Well, uh, nice to meet you." You hesitate to answer, making sure to carefully pick your words as to not offend him or anything. Your attention goes from the papers laying on the table then to him, your rich dark blue eyes trying to search for something beyond those dark shades of is. That reminds you. "Why do you wear sunglasses? We're in a building, is that necessary?" You question and you subconsciously tilt your head, leaning back against the wooden chair. Dave raises an eyebrow at you before tapping against the screen.

**TG:** no its more like a health problem so technically, it is necessary

**TG:** my eyes happen to be sensitive to almost any type of light fixture

**TG:** another reason why i tend to hibernate in the dark

He doesn't look mute to you. And you find it really cool either way and if he wears shades like that, you assume he must be a pretty cool guy regardless.

You bite back a laugh, the side of your lip quirking up in a smirk as you read the red text of his. That explains it. It was like the dark was suitable enough for him to actually see and you assume he must spend most of his time in solitary darkness as to why his skin was so pale. You don't judge him either way though! You nod in response to him and you lean forward to shuffle through the papers on the table between you both. The type of work given was stuff you had just learnt in the previous grade and it was fresh in your brain so this couldn't be too hard on either of you. The first thing you do is talk him through the equations and all, explaining it in and out as best to your ability and you check to see if he's following. Dave will definitely interrupt you when he needs to, stopping to ask a question or for further explanation. You don't even realize the amount of time has gone by because it's like a few seconds when Rose is already at the door.

Rose glances at you, then to Dave, back to you then to Dave before speaking. "Hello Dave." She greets him like they've been good friends since... forever! Dave clicks his tongue at Rose in response to her gesture. You get up from your seat and you furrow your eyebrows at her in confusion.

"Rose...?" Your eyes dart to Dave and he shrugs at you, so does Rose. What the fuck is going on here?

You wave goodbye to Dave before pushing Rose out the door and she's mumbling something you can't really make out. You actually do _not_ know how to feel about this! You don't say anything to her until you're both in the car and she turns to you with a raised eyebrow along with a really displeased look. Probably because you rushed her out of the building.

"Who is Dave to you?" That's the first thing you ask and you cross your arms to emphasis how confused you are.

"My sibling." Rose responds with a scoff.

"... Really?" You sound dumbfounded and you feel your jaw hit the fucking floor. It should've been insanely obvious to you but it wasn't because you happen to be kind of oblivious. You let that sink in and you connect the dots. They had the same jaw structure and pale skin except Dave had a little bit of acne here and there. The colours of their hair was nearly fucking identical and they were obviously twins.

She rolls her eyes at you, putting the key into ignition and beginning turn out of the parking lot. "Yes. Twins."

"Then why don't you live with him? You are brother and sister..." Out of all the times you spent at Rose's house, you never saw anybody else other than her mom and occasionally your dad.

Rose had her eyes on the road as she talked, having to lift her head up to see if she was hitting any curbs due to her short height. "Our parents divorced and we divided up into two and went other ways. I still talk to him very much but I rarely ever get the chance to see him. He does live with our father on the other side of the city, though." She informs you and it makes sense. You don't feel so lied to than you did before so you keep quiet and she turns on the radio while you think of nonsense. Such as, what your dad is going to nag you about this time and what variety of cakes he's got on hold for you. _You don't even have a sweet tooth anymore._

Rose drops you off at your home and she waves at you before driving off with a screech that makes you sigh with a smile and roll your eyes. You get ready, though. You get ready to jump through the door and take whatever your dad has to shove in your face or else you can be quick enough to run upstairs and lock your door. Your dad never comes back after you lock your door.

You find yourself diving into your house, fumbling to get up and tripping your way upstairs. You lock the door as soon as you fucking step into your room and you hear your dad already on the stairs calling your name in a fatherly tone. God, he is so annoying and it pains you to say that because he's your dad.

The next thing you find yourself doing is fool around on your computer for the rest of the day.


	3. Texas Heat And A Mute Kid

OKAy so hi sorry that i haven't published alot lately i've just been busy and all that wicked jazz but expect another chapter either later today or tomorrow! uvu

* * *

**=== BE DAVE STRIDER.**

Alright, you're now the infamous chill cool 17 year old loser called Dave Strider. You're a normal kid, you have a weird taste in music and weird hobbies such as jarring dead animals specifically birds and things that fly. One thing is off about you though.

You happen to be mute, which means that you don't have the ability to speak. This happened when you were born and handed over to your Bro, throat messed up to an extent beyond repair. It took your elder brother a while to figure your disability but he eventually bent to the fact that you were mute and treated you the same regardless. Although you are silent, you can make noises such as groans and other noises that don't particularly involve speaking and pronouncing words full words or sentences. The rest of you aside from that, is... normal. Whatever kind of definition normal holds. You have platinum (almost white) short hair and pale skin that's sun kissed with different sizes of freckles. The freckles are all across your body but happen to cluster more in the center of your nose and shoulders down. You're pretty short for someone your age! You stand at a shocking 5 foot 4 which is really short considering you are a male and males tend to be off the charts when it comes to height.

That's not your case and the friends you have like to poke slight fun at this fact.

Earlier today, you had your own private session with a black haired and bucktoothed kid that claimed to be there for the sole purpose of community service for whatever he did. He was especially nice to you, taking his time and being patient with you but also lightening the air with his silly remarks while explaining mathematics to you. You honestly couldn't care less or remember what you both touched based on considering all you did was observe him. You were that type of person. The way a person moved and the subtle things from a laugh to wrinkles in the corners of ones eyes was something you took into account.

But, you're home now and Bro gives you a welcoming look while you head upstairs, dragging your feet up. Once you enter your room, you peel off all of your articles of clothing except your undergarments, tossing them elsewhere in your cluttered room as well as your bag after digging your phone out. You climb up to the desk closest to the window and you flick the switch on to get the AC going before sitting cross-legged. Texas heat came through dry and hot but fortunately for you, you were used to the temperature but today just had to be worse than usual. The warm wind blowing through your curtains rake through the strands of your hair and you exhale deeply through your mouth before bringing up your texts. Dismissing all of the unopened texts and flipping through directly to Rose. You've got some stuff to say to her.

- **turntechGodhead** [**TG**] began pestering **tentacleTherapist** [**TT**] -

**TG:** alright so hi

**TG: **this heat is something universal

**TG: **but im not contacting you to talk jack shit about weather

**TG:** how did you end up with that dude with the bed head and large teeth

**TT:** Hi to you too.

**TG:** i already said hi

**TT: **His name is John and we have been in the same schools since Kindergarten.

**TT: **A very good friend of mine.

**TG: **oh shit right thats his name

**TG:** haha

**TT:** We both know full well you didn't forget his name.

**TG:** you still included it

**TT: **For your own silly charade.

**TG:** alright alright i get it ok

**TG:** why didnt you ever tell me about him or something

**TG:** i mean youve known him for your whole life

**TT:** It never came up in conversation.

**TG:** you didnt even bother bringing me up

**TG: **so rude

**TT:** Dave. He wasn't aware of the situation and never asked if I had any siblings.

**TT: **If the setting was different, I would've mentioned you earlier.

**TG: **thats ok im not even upset about it

**TG:** im upset that hes cute

**TT:** Eye roll.

**TG:** its true and your lesbianism is too opaque to realize hes an attractive guy

**TT: **I'm aware that he is.

**TT: **I don't swing that way.

**TG:** yeah okay

**TG: **hows your mom

**TT: **Fine. It seems like she still wants to toss me shade though.

**TG: **fucking brilliant kudos to your mom

**TT:** How are you and your bro?

**TG:** the same old

**TG:** shoving all of those goddamn puppets in my face

**TG:** nobody has the sympathy for the fact that i wake up to ass

**TG: **muppet ass specifically

**TT: **That doesn't sound appealing and I'd never envy you in a year.

**TG:** im sure you would never

**TG:** but ok im gonna go

**TG:** its so fucking hot i need a sizzling cold shower

**TT:** Sizzling?

**TG: **freezing

**TG:** ok bye rose

**TT: **Bye Dave.

- **turntechGodhead** [**TG**] ceased pestering **tentacleTherapist** [**TT**] -

Sometimes Rose can be a very pitch person but regardless of that, she's your sister. If you're related to someone by blood, straight up respect!

Before anyone else could tug at your shorts to talk to you, it's almost immediately you turn off your phone because if you did otherwise, it'd be constantly ringing and vibrating. It isn't long before you're already in the shower and you don't bother turning the nozzle to even slightly warm. The freezing cold water runs down your back and through the strands of your platinum hair and it's inevitable that you shiver but it feels good. What must've been an hour or less seemed like a couple of minutes to you but you step out of the shower, barely bothering to fully dry your body as you slip on a clean pair of boxers and find yourself back on the desk with the AC blasting.

The rest of your day goes into listening to music to playing video games on a Nintendo 64 to sleeping like a fucking baby at night cradled up in about 20 different comforters and blankets. You somehow spoil yourself in blankets at the end of every day. Fuck, you don't even know why you and your Bro own this many. But with this good fuckin' sleep you're about to experience, you could probably tackle the next day with that John kid... hopefully.


	4. A Disability Doesn't Make You Weak

so ive been pretty busy and my insp is kinda all over the place! the next chapter will be from johns pov  
this chapter is basically a representation of how uncool dave is  
also how romantic and talkative he is

the dokis are strong

* * *

"...Are you listening?" John's eyes meet with yours behind his square frames, lips quirked in a small smile with his fingers pointing to the equations on the paper.

You nod and shake yourself out of the day dream you were just neck deep in. In fact, the dream was about as graphic as two girls one cup and just thinking of it in that sense is enough to break your boner. Figurative boner.

John continues to talk but again, you're not listening. You're observing his face again and you take note how his jawline is carved and how each time he opens his mouth to talk, his teeth are visible. You take into account how messy his hair sits and it somehow seems suiting to him considering bed-head is weird as fuck. You like how genuinely into this session he is because there's something shining in his eyes as words spill from his lips and he's looking at you again, mouth moving but _you're not even paying full attention. _

"_Dave._" John's voice is stern and his rich dark blue eyes are fucking grazing through your shades. You pull your phone from your back pocket before tapping the screen quickly.

**TG:** sorry im out of it today

"This stuff is important, you should be listening!" His voice raises a notch higher and it's evident he's a little annoyed with you but that doesn't necessarily matter right now. Your lip hitches in a smirk and you type, turning the screen towards him.

**TG: **jeez john

**TG:** dont get your panties in a fucking wad

**TG: **i know this shit pretty well but im not complaining about your presence

You shrug and he arches an eyebrow and narrows his eyes slightly before he leans back in his seat, arms crossing over his chest. He's wearing a blue sweater vest over a crisp white button up and it's fucking adorable but isn't he burning? He must be used to the crazy hot weather considering he is pretty tan. "Then why exactly am I even here?" John whines a little.

**TG: **i dont know

**TG:** why do you expect me to know

**TG: **im just a lonely boy with no voice

**TG: **someone mentioned community service before you even got here first day

**TG: **what kind of dude like you gets community service anyway

His eyes scan the screen and he bites back a laugh while shrugging. "I bullshit a year of school doing nothing but partying. My dad found out and he conspired with Rose's mom behind our backs." John's full on smirking at you now and you return it with a grin.

**TG: **wow egbert nobody told me you were the life of the party

**TG: **rose is a sneaky chick dont fucking mess around with her

**TG: **im not even joking

**TG:** but damn

**TG: **how much ass did you get

John seems to like how talkative you are because his shoulders relax as well as the rest of his body and he talks with bump in his voice and you like it alot. "So much ass, Dave. So much." He teases and you fucking fall in love with the way your name rolls off his tongue because it sends shivers down your spine. "But, if you already know this stuff, then why are _you_ here?"

**TG: **they think im asleep half of the time in class

**TG: **did dave do his work

**TG: **yes

**TG: **ok whatever he doesnt participate were gonna have to put him with that community service dude

**TG:** like what do you expect a weak disabled kid to do when hes got the smarts to finish shit in record time

"A disability doesn't make you weak." John says that in a way that is soft and comforting to the point where you want to just curl up in his arms and stay there. You don't, though. You shrug and ignore the feeling of butterflies gathering in your stomach.

**TG:** thanks but theres alot of disadvantages

**TG: **texting words can only do so much john

"There's actions." He suggest and his toothy smile is still on his face. "People say that actions speak louder than words."

**TG: **true

The rest of your session with him flies by because all you're doing is just talking to him and it's only his voice filling the room. You could listen to him talk all day if he wanted to stay around. It makes you feel better knowing that it's just you and him because you'd never could crack open just a little bit like you did here. You could never cry wolf to anybody that even had a decent understanding of your problems because it just doesn't work like that. He gave you his handle before leaving, waving and smiling wide enough that made your stomach clench and heart race.

There's so much wrong with you because you go right home afterwards and you find yourself sitting by the AC again with the image of John pouring through your mind as you type in his handle.

- **turntechGodhead** [**TG**] began pestering **ectoBiologist** [**EB**] -

**TG: **hi john

**EB:** i just got home and i suppose you did too?

**TG:** yep

**EB:** like, i just stepped into the front door and you're already on me!

**TG:** sorry but i mean

**TG: **theres not much for me to do

**TG:** its too hot to do anything

**EB: **you're being so dramatic, it's only 68 degrees.

**TG: **yeah well i burn so easily

**TG: **my body is this thing of weird temperatures

**TG: **its kind of necessary for it to be constantly dark in my room

**EB: **why?

**TG: **why what

**EB:** why is it always dark in your room?

**TG:** health problems

**EB: **such as?

**TG: **jesus christ

**TG: **such as eyes the colour of blood

**TG: **like #ff0000 red

**EB: **that's pretty red.

**EB:** so that means you're sensitive to the light?

**TG: **john didnt we have this conversation like

**TG:** yesterday

**EB:** i think so but my memory tends to fail me!

**TG: **im p sure i told you yesterday but i mean now you know

**EB:** okay.

**EB: **so i was thinking about learning sign language.

**TG: **really

**EB:** yeah!

**EB:** it gets kind of tedious to be looking at your screen so much.

**EB: **i think it gets annoying for you to be constantly typing too!

**EB: **not to mention that it's a good skill to have.

**TG:** true

Your heart skips a little and you don't even realize the stupid shit eating smile you have on your face because your mentor, John Egbert, is going to learn ASL just for you as if he's not going to forget you as soon as his community service is done.

Then it starts to fade away. You remember that this is just for community service and there never is a likely chance of you becoming good friends and possibly beyond. You have to remember that John's just here because he fucked up and the consequence was community service. You heave a sigh out of your chest and you slump over a little, the AC air raking through your hair.

You make an attempt.

**TG:** so uh would it be weird if i asked you something

**EB:** no.

**EB: **what is it?

**TG:** you wanna hang out after tomorrows session

**EB:** are you asking me out on a date?

**EB: **i'm not gay!

It's like the AC just bumped up a couple twenty fucking notches because you freeze as soon as the blue text of his pops onto the screen and your heart dares to beat once more when the typing bubble comes up after a second.

**EB:** i'm kidding, but sure.

**EB:** i don't have anything to do anyways!

Jesus fucking Christ. You let out a shaky breath and cup your face in your hands before picking your phone back up.

**TG:** alright cool

**TG: **im craving sandwiches so were getting sandwiches ok

**EB:** aw man, i love sandwiches.

**TG: **sweet

**TG:** im gonna go i got shit to do

**EB:** sure you do...

**TG:** i totally do

**TG: **bye john

**EB: **bye!

- **turntechGodhead** [**TG**] ceased pestering **ectoBiologist** [**EB**] -

You're not going to lie and say that was smooth because it's evident that it wasn't even nearly okay. You kind of asked John on a date but that's you wanting it to be one. You crawl off of the desk and curl up in your bed again, placing your phone on the night stand before slowly drifting into a deep sleep.

They sit on your windowsill from outside of a violet city filled with citizens.

They bark and laugh at you.

They're here to mark you in and push you around.

They cackle about the return of a knight in shining silver armour and red robes.

They mocking you and sing at the top of their lungs and you're shivering on fire with so much to say that scorching lava pours on hot coals at the bottom of your void.

They're mocking you until you're awake, sitting up and panting hard. Your throat is sore and your eyes dart across the dim room because for a second, you felt lost. Relief washes over your beating heart and you pull your knees up to your chest. Sweat beads on your forehead and your limbs are trembling and the taste of copper runs down your throat. You don't care that your throat is raw and bleeding from trying to scream and talk because it's happened continuously for nearly a week now.

It's so rare for you to get a decent nap or nights sleep without being swallowed whole by something you don't have the words to describe.

You don't have words to say.


End file.
